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by Oparu (USSJellyfish)



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Empathy, F/M, Mutual Pining, Series Finale, life model decoy 2.0 Phil Coulson
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-14
Updated: 2020-08-14
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:01:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,016
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25897846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/USSJellyfish/pseuds/Oparu
Summary: set during the AOS finale. Melinda May practices pushing her empathy outwards with Daisy and Phil so she's ready to save the world.
Relationships: Melinda May & Skye | Daisy Johnson, Phil Coulson & Melinda May & Skye | Daisy Johnson, Phil Coulson/Melinda May
Comments: 20
Kudos: 122





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**Author's Note:**

> prompt from Ness on twitter, thanks lovely!! Sappy emotional one shot.

Phil sits beside her in the bar's back room, away from everyone else. "Okay, so you can feel thousands, does it work the other way?" 

"I don't know." She takes off her jacket, resting her hands on the table. Deepening bruises from the lighthouse explosion threaten to be worse tomorrow and her breath catches. "Fitz says it does."

"There's ice behind the bar," he offers but she shrugs.

"It's fine."

"Maybe you want to start with that."

"What?"

"What hurts?" 

"You want me to start with the ache in my ribs?"

Phil sits back, smiling but his eyes are sad. "It's not something I can feel, I'd know it was you."

"I'm jealous."

"You can send that too, just try something."

Shutting her eyes, she reaches for his hands on the table. They're warm, familiar even though perhaps they should be. The ache in her shoulder isn't an emotion, but she has others. Stronger feelings might be easier so she thinks of Daisy and the rush of feeling before they hugged. That was strong. Relief surges first, soft and warm, then something deeper: pride, strength, affection--

Push the energy across, think of it like tai chi, guide it outward. 

Phil gasps, inhaling and squeezing her hands. "Whoa."

"What?"

"Daisy." He smiles, so soft, like he's floating. "It was good to see her."

"Yes."

"And something else."

What else as there? Desire, need, that's it. Daisy wanted to be hugged. She wanted that reassurance, affection, she's been through so much.

"We love her," Melinda says without thinking the words.

"I feel that." Phil release one of her hands, wiping at his eyes. "Wow."

"It can't be that much of a surprise, she's, well, she's--"

"I know I just haven't felt her side of it."

Melinda pulls her feelings in, rolling them up as if she can curl up the tide into her heart. "Sorry."

"No, don't apologize, it was beautiful." 

She smirks, reaching out with her abilities for Daisy as she enters the door. "Beautiful enough to stop a Chronicom army?" 

"We can only hope."

"How's it going?"

"Pretty good, I'd say. Try Daisy, see what you can do with her." 

"What did you do so far?"

"She shared how it felt to want to hug you," Phil says, moving his chair to make space for Daisy at the little table. "That could stop an army." 

"Yeah?" She pulls over a chair, smiling. "I know I felt a little stopped, in a good way."

"Okay, that's the feeling we want. See if you can get both of us at once." 

It's a huge jump from two people to all of the Chronicoms but she must have this power for a reason, this is something she can do to help save the world. She just has to do it, not think about it, not worry, just drop all her barriers, let go, bare the emotions she's not even sure she has anymore.

Easy. 

Melinda shuts her eyes again, thinking of Daisy walking in, seeing her again after being so worried. Relief is an easy one to remember because it's fast and sharp, like diving. Why did she want to hug her? Where did that come from? Part of that was Daisy, her own affection, the sense of safety she got from seeing them again, but part of it was her. Part was love. 

Once she finds it it's so simple to radiate that outward, to reach for them both as if she's hugging them with all her strength. 

"Damn," Phil whispers, looking down and away before he smiles. 

Daisy shakes her head, then squeezes Melinda's hands on the table. "That is incredible."

"I think that'll work, so just focus on that emotion--"

"Wait, try thinking of someone you love."

"Daisy--"

"Just do it." She wraps both of her hands around Melinda's and Phil follows suit. Meeting Daisy's eyes is easy, she loves her and it's the easiest thing in the universe. Phil is more complicated, but maybe he shouldn't be. What is someone but their thoughts and memories? Daisy beams love like a beacon, her own little lighthouse, and Phil is still a blank, but she can fill the space. 

She remembers kissing him while bullets flew, how angry she was that he'd just leave, that he wouldn't fight, and him in bed beside her, them in the sea, listening to his breathing, his arms around her, letting go--

Maybe that's what the Chronicoms are missing, not just the warmth of love, but the softness, the fragility of life, the absence, the quiet, but none of that dims anything. She loves Phil Coulson, across realms and universes and timelines and plastic. Gathering that sensation like a punch, she throws it outward, hitting them both, rushing into the next room, flashing out into the city around them. It's exhausting, beautiful, and bright.

When she's done, she's panting, sweating like she's just been going hand to hand with more than a dozen, and both of them hold her hands so tightly that her fingers ache. Daisy's crying now, tears sliding down her face as she smiles. 

"That's it, May, that'll save the world."

Phil takes a breath, stroking the back of her hand. "Damn."

For a instant, he's a light, as if he's reflecting all the affection she put into him and she stares. He loves--

"We got it, we have to go," Elena calls from the doorway. "If you're done making us all turn to mush."

"Sorry."

"You got it though, right?"

"Yeah," Elena says, grinning, and even her eyes are shining. "I think you found exactly the right thing."

Daisy releases her hand, but Phil holds on, standing up beside her until it's awkward to keep the contact.

"Sorry, let me help you with your coat." 

Time to save the world, again, but maybe this time it'll stay saved long enough for her to look for that light. He's in there. 

"Thank you."

"Anytime." He touches her shoulder and again, when she focuses there's something, not clear like Daisy, but she can find it. They'll find it together. 


End file.
